bailey



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. O. BAILEY.

COMBINED TRUSS AND BANDAGE.

No. 285,545. Patented Sept. 25,1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. C. BAILEY.

COMBINED TRUSS AND BANDAGE. No. 285,545. Patented. Sept. 25, 1883.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Mbdel.)

L. G. BAILEY. COMBINED TRUSS AND BANDAGE.

Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

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N. PETERS. Pholo-Lnhngmphar. Wnhingian. 0.0

IJ ITE STATES:

PATENT OFFicE. A

LEONARD O. BAILEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COMBINED TRUSS AND BANDAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,545, dated September 25, 1883.

' Application filed June 30, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEONARD G. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trusses or Bandages, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to trusses for supporting an inguinal or a scrotal hernia, and has for its object to provide asimple and effective.

appliance for supporting the reduced parts, whereby perfect relief may be afforded to the patient and an ultimate cureeifec'ted without the use of the pads commonly employed to retain the intestine.

My invention consists in a supporting-brace attached by a belt or belts, which pass completely around one or both thighs and across the back, with intermediate supporting-straps in the rear, the arrangement of parts being such that the supporter is drawn tightly over the abdominal region and securely held in place, giving effectual support and relief, and at the same time freely permitting the use of the muscles without displacement of the support.

It also consists of a slightly modified form of said device, which may be used upon one side only.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as adapted for left inguinal or scrotal hernia, the outline of the body .of the wearer being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, the auxiliary strap for double hernia being indicated by dotted lines in each figure. Fig. 3

' belts which cross the back.

is a view of the brace laid out upon a flat surface. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the apparatus, the view being, like Fig. 1, taken from the front, and the outline of the person being indieatedby dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the auxiliary strap attached. Fig. 6 is a view of the modified form of the apparatus as it appears when spread upon a flat surface. Fig. 7 is a view of said supporter applied by means of thigh- Fig. 8 is a rear view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 7 and 8, spread upon a flat surface.

A in said drawings represents the supporting portion of the brace; or, in other words,

that part which is applied directly to the reduced parts. It consists of a triangular piece, formed by the junction of the broad bandages B and O with an inserted portion or gusset, b, filling the angular space between them. The

dimensions of this portion are such that the lower edge lies closely to the iliac region upon the right side, while it covers the abdominal and inguinal regions upon the left side.

The belt 0 passes from the triangular portion A to the right and upwardly, and its end I is connected to one end of the belt B by buckles.

From this point the belt B passes over the back, above the sacrum, over thecrest of the left ilium, and thence downward over the left thigh between the legs, and is then brought upward from behind and fastened, by straps I) b upon the bandage, to buckles a a upon the extremity thereof. The said bandage is lapped upon itself throughout a portion of its inner edge, thereby narrowing it, to permit its passage between the legs. That portion of the strap B which passes around the left thigh is supported behind by a bandage, D, which passes downward from the belt B from apoint near the lower dorsal vertebrze to a point directly beneath the left sacrum, where it is at tached to the thigh portion, as shown in Fig. 2.

The brace shown in Figs. l and 4 of the drawings is, as already mentioned, arranged for application to the left side. By simply reversing the arrangement of the parts it may be used upon the right side. For double hernia I have devised the modification indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which a belt, E, is added to the parts shown in full lines. This belt is applied to the belt G, and passes thence downward and inward around the right thigh, its end being brought over. the crest of the right ilium to a point near its attachment, where it is buckled to fastenings upon the belt C. A supporting-belt, E, similar to the belt D, is applied behind, its end being buckled to the belt B. This gives complete support to the abdominal region, to the right and left inguinal regions, and the scrotum. No displacement of the support is possible, and the attaching-bands are so applied that they do not in any manner interfere with any muscular movement, or any position asjusted, the supporting portion A is drawn tightly over the region upon which it lies, and not only supports the reduced parts when the rupture is inguinal, but also affords a complete support for a scrotal hernia, without, however, in any manner interfering with the ordinary operations or necessities of every-day life. It may be worn continuously, or while bathing, and when it becomes soiled it may be washed like an article of clothing. I employ incall ordinary cases no pad like that commonly used upon trusses, and which is not only liable to constant displacement, but is, moreover, the cause of great discomfort to the wearer, and often of severe pain.

A modification of the construction set forth is shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, in which A indicates the supporting portion of the brace, composed of the junction of the two belts B and C with the interposed gusset b. In this form of construction an end of the belt B passes from the part A downward between the thighs and to the rear, whence it is brought over the outside of the left thighand buckled upon itself by straps b and buckles a, the latter being upon the end of the belt. The other end passes from the, part A over the crest of the left ilium and around the back, .where it is buckled to a strap, D, which passes over the right hip, and thence downward and to the left, until it meets the end of the belt B,

which encircles the left thigh, to which it is attached beneath the left sacrum. The belt D passes from its junction with the other end of the belt B over the hip, and thence downward and forward till its end meets a strap, 0, which springs from the strap B just below the gusset b.

In some cases a gusset may be placed upon each side of the belt 0, as shown at b and (Z, Fig. 6. Moreover, either one or both of said gussets may be made of a double thickness of material, and a pad of any suitable form may be inserted therein. By these or similar means the supportermay be adjusted to persons of different forms, and to cases in which the track of the rupture is considerable.

It is evident that in cases so severe or of such a character as to require the application of a pad for the retention of the reduced parts, such pads may be introduced without any modification of the apparatus shown. Moreover, while especially adapted for the relief and cure of hernia, it is evident that the same ap paratus may, with immaterial change, be employed as an abdominal support in many forms of uterine displacement, as well as in support of the impregnated uterus.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9, I have shown the same form of supporter, applied by means of two belts, B B". These belts are secured to the lateral edges of the supporter A, and their lower ends are carried down between the thighs, thence backward and around each hip,

' being buckled together at a point near one side,

in easy reach of the wearer. Bear supportingbands, D D, are applied behind and buckled to the back strap or straps, B This construction givesa broad and complete support over the whole abdominal region and upon each side.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A brace or supporter for a reduced her: nia, consisting of a simple bandage having one end passing around the thigh and buckled upon its body portion, the other end carried around the back and buckled to a front strap springing from the bandage B, with a supporting strap or straps in the rear for connecting the body portion-of the beltB with that portion encircling the thigh, substantially as described.

2. A brace or support for areduced hernia, consisting of a triangular gusset stitched to the edges of two intersecting belts, one passing over the abdomen and the other connected therewith and passing over the back and around the thigh, and having a rear supportin strap, D, passing over the sacrum and connecting the thighstrap with the strap passing around the back, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the triangular retaining-piece b, stitched to the edges of the in tersecting bands B and O, the latter passing over the abdomen and connected to the former, which is carried over the back and around the thigh, of a supplemental strap, E, springing from the belt 0 and passing around the other thigh, supporting straps D and E being dropped from-the back portion of strap B and connected to the thigh-straps behind, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

r LEONARD O. BAILEY. Witnesses:

. JAMES L. Nonnis,

JAMES A. RUTHERFORD. 

